Does anyone still think you can't start a sentence with "and" or "but"?

[Lennon Saviour of E]

I had this argument a long time ago in work. My underlings claimed you shouldn't. And that I was wrong in thinking you could.

But after several days I convinced them I was right yet again.

[Craig]

Well you just used it. I'm but sure, I know if you're using and then it should be used in a sentence or after a ",". It's a hard one. I couldn't give a fuck though.

[RedRabbit]

Yes you can. However, if formality is you goal you shouldn't do it. Using 'and' or 'but' at the start of a sentence makes it slightly informal

[poolie_chick]

Yes you can start a sentence with 'and' or 'but'... when you look at English Literature, they break the conventional 'English rules' of sentence structure. So, TECHNICALLY you can't start a sentence with 'and' or 'but' in "regular" English writing, but in certain contexts you can, to make it more effective.

[westboy]

I had this argument a long time ago in work. My underlings claimed you shouldn't. And that I was wrong in thinking you could.
But after several days I convinced them I was right yet again.
nice one.

On a forum/e-mail informal thing it's fine but they shouldn't do it in broadsheets.

[domcassells]

Does it Matter?

If you think of david attenborough, he starts his broadcasts with

"and here we are, in the deepest amazon rainforest" etc

[westboy]

Norman Tebbit said things like that were responsible for kids lack of respect at school. I don't agree with him but I think language does matter...

[poolie_chick]

It's a three letter word. Barely responsible for kid's personalities now is it.

[westboy]

Sorry I put it out of context, but he said in the 80's the decline in language is responsible kid's discipline.

In response to David Attenbroughs thing you don't have sentences when you are speaking.

[Lennon Saviour of E]

Sorry I put it out of context, but he said in the 80's the decline in language is responsible kid's discipline.


Winston Churchill (some dead bloke, for those that haven't heard of him - not as funny as Manning by the way) started sentences with "And" and "But".

So what do you make of that eh?

[westboy]

He didn't do it in the 21st Century. In all honesty it's not something I'm particularly worried about, just got too much english language (revision) in my head.

[I_AM_CANADIAN!]

No, you shouldn't, because "and" and "but" are conjunctions and it doesn't make sense if you start a sentence with them... I learned that in grade two, numpty. :tt2:

[westboy]

And how does it not make sense?

[superally]

Who cares anyway???

Too many people start a sentence with eerrmm!Now that sounds thick as fook..

[westboy]

Not in newspapers they don't.

[Suge1314]

Personally I would rather hear evryone in my homeland going back to the native language of Scots (Read some Robert Burns Poetry and you'll see some). So personally I think the demise of the English language can only go towards helping this.:nod:

[Lennon Saviour of E]

When I had this week long argument, at the finish I asked if anyone had a novel with them, someone had a John Steinbeck. I said have a look at the first page, and lo and behold there were sentences starting with "and" and "but".

Got it now? :thumbup1:

[poolie_chick]

You 'break the conventions' of English writing to create an effect in the likes of novels and stories. But (ha, ironic) 'technically' you're not meant to.